"When the new requirements related to Stage 2 of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs begin in 2014, EHR technology will be significantly more interoperable."
So said Farzad Mostashari, MD, national coordinator for health information technology, during testimony before the Committee on Finance in the U.S. Senate.
"We are working with industry to ensure that EHR technology will be significantly more interoperable when [Meaningful Use] Stage 2 begins in 2014," said Dr. Mostashari. He cited the 2014 Edition Standards and Certification Criteria final rule, issued in September 2012, that outlined the common format, content and structured data that EHR systems must use to be certified.
"These standards will enable providers to share information as patients make a transition from one care setting to another, which is critically important to support patient care, ensure safety, improve quality and lower costs," he said.
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